No Australian driver has ever won his home race. There are two Australians on the starting grid - Red Bull's Mark Webber and Toro Rosso's Daniel Ricciardo - and both scored points last year.

Melbourne has been the season-opener on 15 previous occasions. Since 2002, the winner in Australia has ended the season as champion on seven occasions.The exceptions were David Coulthard in 2003, Giancarlo Fisichella in 2005 and Button in 2010 and 2012.

In total, the winner in Melbourne has gone on to be champion 11 times in 17 races there.

The race winner at Albert Park has started on pole on eight occasions. Eddie Irvine, in 1999, was the lowest starter to win after qualifying 11th.

The safety car has been deployed in six of the last 10 races, and four of the last five, in Melbourne. less